Lady Raiders improve hitting to make payback to Central

By DONN ADAMSON\Daily Journal Sports Editor

DESLOGE - On August 30, the Central Lady Rebels beat the North County Lady Raiders 2-0 in their first encounter on the softball field, but on North County's field the tables were switched as the Lady Raiders avenged themselves with a 6-2 win over the Lady Rebels.

The difference in the make-up game which had been rained out earlier in the season was in North County's hitting.

"We only got one hit off of them last time," said North County coach Steve Elam. "Tonight we hit the ball, not only for power, but we hit with people on base.

The Lady Raiders had seven hits total with three for extra bases. Four of their hits were with runners on base. Jennifer Hackworth kept Central tame in their hitting allowing only four hits, three of which were with no one on base at the time, and striking out seven batters..

Kayla Jaco started things off in the game as Central's second hitter in the top of the first inning. Jaco hit a double into the gap in left center, but she could not score as Hackworth got the next two batters to ground out.

North County took advantage of the game's first error in the bottom of the first. Lead-off batter Hali Prosser reached base on the error, was sacrificed to second by Katie Krodinger, reached third on a ground ball and then scored on a wild pitch.

The Lady Raiders would break things open in the third inning when Jessica House led off with a double down the leftfield line. Hackworth was hit by a pitch, and both were put into scoring position on a sacrifice by Prosser that Central botched to load the bases.

Krodinger laid down a bunt single to score one run, a Central error scored a second, and Katie Gibson hit a double over the centerfielder's head to score two more.

Central tried to answer back in the fourth as their first two hitters reached base. Kayla Mabery reached base on a North County error, and Megan Keller followed with a single. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Brittany Ashby.

Mabery scored on a wild pitch by sticking her hand onto the plate just under the tag of Hackworth. Keller scored on North County's second error of the inning.

The Lady Raiders would get one run back when a single by Prosser was rewarded by a wild pitch, and a double by Krodinger over the leftfielder's head to score Prosser from second. Mabery hit a triple for Central in the top of the sixth inning, but when she tried to score on a wild pitch, she was tagged out at the plate by Hackworth who took the throw from catcher Jamie Bullock.

Bullock did a fine job of hitting in the fifth inning when she started to swing at a change -up from Amber Kennedy, but Bullock held back on her swing enough to hit a line drive single.

North County, 8-7 and 4-5MAAA, will be at Fredericktown this afternoon for a scheduled conference game. Central, 7-11 and 4-5 MAAA, will play at league-leading Farmington this afternoon.

Central 000 200 0 - 2 4 3

North County 104 010 x - 6 7 2

WP- Hackworth 7i 0er 4h 7k 0bb, LP- Kennedy 6i 1er 7h 1k 0bb 1hb. Hitting: 3b- Mabery, 2b- Jaco, House, Gibson, Krodinger. 1b- Clark, Krodinger, Keller, Prosser, H Rawson, Bullock.

De Soto 4, Ste. Genevieve 0

DE SOTO - The Ste. Genevieve Hunters played the De Soto Lady Dragons even ball for six of the seven innings played, but the fifth inning went to the host team when they scored all four of their runs for a 4-0 win.

Sara Flieg pitched five innings of shut-out softball with the Hunters playing superb defense behind her. Flieg only struck out one batter in her six innings pitched. The Hunters had five hits in the game with Erica Naeger getting two and Ashley Giesler, Michelle Giesler, and Emily Blumenthal all having one hit each.

Ste. Genevieve will host Potosi this afternoon for their next game.